To: UK Trade Unionists
From: Stop the War
Since October 7th over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed. 70% of those have been women and children. 2.2 million people are at imminent risk of starvation, with 9 out of 10 people living on less than 1 meal a day.
At the heart of the trade union movement lies international solidarity and the Palestinians urgently require it. This is why we call upon those within the trade union movement to join and build for the May Day Workplace Day of Action for Palestine on Weds 1 May.
May Day is a special day that the international trade union movement celebrates. It commemorates the Haymarket protests, demanding an 8-hour day, that were brutally put down by police in 1889.
The pro-Palestine movement is under attack. This government is attempting to further prevent our right to strike and protest.
That is why this May Day we call upon trade unionists across the movement to show their solidarity with the Palestinian people and call for an immediate ceasefire. It’s vital we demonstrate our commitment to unite against attempts to divide us and send a clear message to this government that we are determined not to allow our right to protest or strike to be taken away.
In solidarity,
Mick Lynch, RMT General Secretary
Fran Heathcote, PCS General Secretary
Emma Rose, NEU President
Alex Gordon, RMT President
Louise Regan, NEU International
More to follow.